RAA Creates Safety Task Force

The exclusive bi-monthly magazine covering the news and activities of the Regional Airline Association

November/December 2009 Issue 39 Available on the RAA website www.raa.org

CHAIRMAN’S VIEW RAA creates Safety Task Force

Likely the first-ever committee Kit will provide airlines with an to bring together two separate industry leading resource document groups — operations and safety that members can use to develop — the RAA has created a Safety or enhance their fatigue training Task Force with the support of its program. Regional Operations Council and “Nearly all of our RAA member Safety Council. A steering com- airlines have a representative on the mittee will develop the objectives, ROC and Safety Council, so the scope of work and work plan which decision to bring these two groups will include supporting the develop- together with separate responsibili- Russell “Chip” Childs, ment of the Fatigue Management ties will pool resources and focus SkyWest Airlines Tool Kit and support of RAA’s own this industry’s efforts to once again Strategic Safety Initiative (SSI). show the traveling public that safety Safety First at SSI includes the Fatigue Study, is always the number one priority RAA which is designed to determine the for regional airlines,” RAA Vice It’s a great honor – and respon- effects of workload on pilot fatigue. President Scott Foose tells Regional sibility – being elected as RAA’s The new Fatigue Management Tool Horizons. new Chairman since I recognize the association is facing one of the most challenging times in All airlines are one industry and one level of safety its 35-year history. It was very apparent during last month’s Fall Before the Aviation Subcommittee, RAA President • This year is the first in a decade that regional airline Meeting in Washington, DC that Roger Cohen presented the following statistics: employment levels dropped; even after September 11 regional airlines continued to grow. regional airlines are at a real cross- • Since 2000, regional carriers have gone from conduct- roads. Every committee session, ing a little more than 40 percent of scheduled com- • This is also the first time in a decade that the number Presidents’ Council and Board mercial flights to operating more than 50 percent of of passengers flying on regionals, has dropped, as did meeting focused on what we as an commercial flights. 2009 year to date = 51.3 percent capacity, but that drop is less than that on majors. 2009 capacity change to date = Mainline (8.8%); Regionals industry will do to underline to • More than 25 percent of commercial airline passen- (1.9%) the traveling public our continued gers — 159 million — fly on regional airlines. 2009 year commitment to the safest possible to date = 26.3 percent • Despite the cutbacks at regional carriers — owing to regional airline industry. the recession and fuel costs — regionals’ share of both • Of the more than 600 communities served by all US seats and departures have actually increased in 2009. It was most appropriate that airlines, nearly 75 percent of America’s cities and towns Regional carriers are expected to operate some five mil- FAA Administrator Babbitt told are served exclusively by regional airlines. lion scheduled passenger flights this year. >>19 PUBLISHED BY 3 15

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7 regional horizons November/December 2009 1 AP_usa_GB_8x11.indd 1 18/02/09 17:40:09 RAA approves independent fatigue study focusing on multi-leg flights

Research Professor Dr. Hans Van Dongen (seated) and Director Dr. Gregory Belenky review fatigue studies at the Washington State University Sleep and Performance Research Center located in Spokane

Pilot fatigue continues to be a critical element of the public policy debate only for RAA member airlines, but for the airline industry in general. These surrounding aviation safety this year. Congress, FAA and NTSB have made include: it a priority focus, and the recently concluded Flight & Duty Time Aviation  Credible, independent fact-based evidence for the industry’s response to Rulemaking Committee (ARC) represents just the first step in what will be an NPRM scheduled for release by the end of this year the first major revision in decades to the rule for scheduling air carrier pilots.  Research and best practices within a resource document that each airline While all aviation stakeholders have expressed support for rules “based on the may incorporate into their own fatigue training program (an expected best available science,” the perception remains– unfortunately held by some requirement under the new rules) key regulators and legislators - that multi-segment flying is more “fatiguing”  Information to help airline managers assess risk and other issues in devel- compared to long haul schedules with fewer but longer flights. oping pilot schedules and SMS programs Since virtually all research into the relationship of fatigue in aviation has been  A means to share the cost of developing their own Fatigue Risk Manage- centered around these longer stage lengths, one of the key elements of RAA’s ment Systems (FRMS), a tool to potentially allow for some deviation/flex- Strategic Safety Initiative (SSI) is a study of fatiguing effects of workload on ibility from proscriptive rules regional airline pilots. This ground-breaking study will accomplish these vital  Fulfilling RAA’s commitment to Congress, and demonstrating the indus- objectives: try’s pro-active efforts to prevent future accidents.  Close the “gap” in available science  Define how fatigue relates to workload During last month’s RAA Fall Meeting, the Board approved funding for Phase  Identify ways to avoid and mitigate fatigue One of a three part, ground-breaking, independent study through Washing-  Demonstrates the regional airline industry’s continued focus on safety. ton State University’s Sleep and Performance Research Center. Preliminary results are expected next spring and will be shared during the Association’s An- The work product from the Fatigue Study will serve multiple purposes, not nual Convention in Milwaukee, May 24-27.

regional horizons November/December 2009 3 Dr. Hans Van Dongen of Washing- ton State University outlined his work on fatigue concepts and ter- minology, including fatigue model- ing and the issue of workload to the ROC, Safety Directors as well as to the Presidents’ Council (see related story on page 3) 

Presidents’ Council and Board of Directors meet during the Fall Meeting 2009 RAA Fall Meeting coverage November 9-11 Washington, DC

 ASA’s Charlie Tutt briefed the Regional Operations Council (ROC) on its pilot hiring and performance analysis practices

RAA President Roger Cohen thanks FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt (right) for speaking to RAA Fall Meeting attendees  FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt calls for safety culture at RAA Fall Meeting FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt underlined the need for professionalism in the cockpit during his remarks to the Presidents Council luncheon and emphasized the Call to Action has identified issues that are fundamental to aviation safety. “Safety is not, nor should it ever be, a slogan. It’s got to be part of the culture — your culture — and if it’s not, there’s no question in my mind that the safety trends will begin to level out, and then they’ll dip. And when they dip, accidents happen and lives are lost.” He emphasized that “safety needs to be part of our decision-making process for every flight and every task.” Babbitt listed the focus items of the Call to Action: • the need to maintain professionalism in the cockpit • flight monitoring • crew fatigue • importance of establishing and following good standard operating procedures • compensation practices and flight crew experience • maintenance practices • and a host of training issues.

4 regional horizons | November/December 2009 New Board elected for RAA

Russell “Chip” Childs, President and COO SkyWest Airlines, was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Airline Association (RAA) for the 2009/2010 term. Other officers elected at the association’s Fall Presidents’ Council meeting Above, left to right: CommutAir’s John Sullivan and Joel Raymond, American Eagle’s Peter Bowler, TranStates’ Rick Leach Membership Meeting held No- Below left, left to right: JazzAir’s Joe Randall, Piedmont’s Steve Farrow, Cape Air’s Dan Wolf vember 9-11 in Washington, DC Below right, left to right: PSA Airline’s Keith Houk, Great Lakes’ Chuck Howell, ExpressJet’s Jim Ream were Vice Chair Jim Rankin, Air Wisconsin; Treasurer Dan Wolf, Cape Air; and Secretary Keith Houk, PSA Airlines (elected to Board term expiring 2012). Jim Ream of ExpressJet; Joe Randell, Jazz Air; and Rick Leach, Trans States Holdings; were re-elected to the RAA Board for terms through 2012. They will join current members Peter Bowler, American Eagle; Tim Komberec, Empire Airlines; Doug Voss, Great  Lakes Aviation; Dave Hackett, Delta Captain Jim Mangie, who also Gulfstream International Airlines; served as the Industry Chair of the and Bryan Bedford, Republic Advisory Rulemaking Committee (ARC) and Notice of Proposed Rule Airways. Making (NPRM), told attendees that Jerry Schumacher of US Tech- by early January an NPRM will be nical and Lucas Aardenburg of published focusing on revised FAA Flight/Duty/Rest regulations SNECMA were elected Chair and Vice Chair respectively of RAA’s Associate Member Council (AMC) representing nearly 300 leading suppliers of products and services to the regional airline industry.

The Associate Member Council met with the Presidents’ Council and Board  John Allen, FAA Director-Flight Standards Service, updated both the ROC and Safety Directors Committee on the background of HR 3371, the Airline Pilot Training and Safety Act. He noted that FAA is aggressively looking for ways to address the issue of better operational experience for pilots who carry commercial passengers. Although the ATP requirement proposed in HR 3371 is one option, FAA’s concern is that it focuses on quantity rather than quality and scope of training and experience.

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AAR 1P RH.indd 1 10/22/09 3:00 PM MAINTENANCE Turboprops prepare for extended service programs

By Carole Shifrin

Piedmont’s Dash 8-100 in US Airways livery Many turboprop aircraft, providing yeoman service to small communities around the US and the world, are approaching their 25th birthdays —some are even older — and they are likely to have very long lives.

 Bombardier Commercial with 50 operators worldwide. ment of some structural and systems Aircraft has unveiled an extended Piedmont Airlines, part of the US components, and a new maintenance service program (ESP) for the Airways Express system, is the largest program supplement will be utilized. Dash 8-100, which entered service US operator with 33 Dash 8-100s Bombardier says the approved in December 1984, to extend the (and another 11 Dash 8-300s). Service Bulletin will be available turboprop’s life from 80,000 to “The ashD 8-100 aircraft is a in about a year; and is anticipated 120,000 cycles. robust and reliable turboprop, and that operators will implement the Launch customer for the pro- the extension program will further modifications in conjunction with gram is Widerøe’s Flyveselskap of enhance its operational value to the 80,000-cycle major structural Norway, which put its first aircraft customers,” says Benjamin Boehm, inspection, with aircraft downtime into service in 1993. Widerøe Bombardier Vice President-Pro- expected to be six to eight weeks. CEO Lars Kobberstad says its Dash grams. Boehm notes the ESP will Bombardier is currently defining the 8-100s, approaching 60,000 cycles, be accomplished through structural scope of work which will include de- will get a life extension of about 10- and engineering analysis, utilizing tailed engineering and parts affected 12 years through the new program. extensive fatigue and test data ac- for the Service Bulletin, with the The program could attract oth- cumulated on the Dash 8, and will be first aircraft to be completed within ers, including in the US. There are initiated through a Service Bulletin. about 18 months. about 240 Dash 8-100s in service The bulletin will require replace- While the program applies to the

regional horizons November/December 2009 7

MAINTENANCE

Dash 8-100, it could be applied in President-Hawker Beechcraft Global the future to hundreds more Dash Customer Service and Support. 8-200 and Dash 8-300 aircraft in Carter notes there is no defined service. airframe life limit on the 1900 because of the aircraft’s design, as  Another upgrade program long as inspections are carried out is aimed at the Beechcraft and maintenance manual followed. 1900D, operated by a number of “We have 1900Cs with over 50,000 regionals, including Great Lakes Air- hours, and we keep an eye on them,” lines and Gulfstream International he adds, “and there is nothing on Airlines. About 695 1900s were them that bothers us.” The 1900 was produced, with the earlier models developed from the King Air. entering service in 1983.  ATR aircraft are certificated The upgrade, offered by Hawker for a life length of 100,000 cycles, an Beechcraft Services, would replace ATR official says, with a cycle very legacy avionics equipment, includ- close to a flying hour. Because normal Gulfstream International Airlines Beech 1900 ing electro-mechanical gyros and utilization of an ATR is 2,000-2,500 engine gauges, with a new Rockwell cycles per year, the aircraft can fly Collins Pro Line 21 Integrated some 40 to 50 years, he suggests. The Display System cockpit, with dual first ATR models entered service in Attitude Heading Reference Systems, December 1985, just 24 years ago electronic Engine Indication System, so have quite a life span left. “There model 850 Weather Radar, dual is no life extension program for the air data computers and APS-65 Autopilots, Rockwell Collins TCAS II 4000 and other up-to-date bells and whistles. First customer for the upgrade is Raytheon Airline Aviation Services (RAAS), which will upgrade its Beechcraft 1900D demonstrator. RAAS, which has a portfolio of 123 Beechcraft 1900s placed with regional operators worldwide, is hoping to find additional clients for the upgrade, according to RAAS Director-Marketing Dave Carter. He underlines replacing legacy equipment in the 1900D’s cockpit will improve reliability by eliminating some potential maintenance issues, remove aircraft weight and provide a comprehensive two-year Rockwell Collins warranty, virtually eliminat- Cape Air’s ATR42 ing avionics operating costs during early models of the ATR aircraft, at the first two years of operation. least so far,” the official says. “We expect the improved reli- Taking into account the flying ability and operating cost benefits experience of ATRs since entry into of this upgrade to positively impact service, though, the company was the bottom line of 1900D opera- able to gain certification last year tors worldwide for many years to for an extension of the equipment come,” says Christi Tannahill, Vice regional horizons November/December 2009 9 Paperless.

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DAC-money-Reg Horiz-full.indd 1 12/6/06 3:57:03 PM MAINTENANCE FAA’s International Runway checks, the official says. Intervals Safety Summit held in between “C” checks were extended Washington, DC, December from 4,000 flying hours to 5,000 1 to 3 analyzed results to date of the agency’s “Call to hours, providing 20 percent more Action” to review all safety time in the air between checks. aspects of commercial air A number of US regionals oper- transport. RAA Vice President ate ATR aircraft, including American Scott Foose participated in a Eagle Airlines with 39, including panel discussion underlining 27 ATR42-200s, and Cape Air with the association’s pro-active ATR42-300s. Strategic Safety Initiative and its plans to undertake a  All Saab 340 models, which ground-breaking fatigue study. first entered service in June 1984, The three-day event gathered have a design life of 45,000 flight numerous stakeholders hours and 90,000 aircraft cycles, but including NTSB, FAA and congressional staff members. a currently available Service Bulletin Colgan Air’s Saab 340 extends flight hours to 60,000. According to George Caracost, Di- rector-Customer Support for Saab program,” Caracost says. Colgan widespread fatigue damage. While Aerotech of America, a program is Air and Mesaba Aviation are among there is no life limit now on the in the works to extend certification Saab 340 operators. EMB-120 airframe, additional ac- from 60,000 flight hours to 90,000 tion could be possible in the future  Embraer’s EMB-120 to match the aircraft cycles/landing based on the service experience of Brasilia limit. This will be released in about , which entered service high-time airframes or new certifica- two years. in mid-1985, was developed under tion requirements.

Saab 340s in service are nowhere damage tolerance design criteria. EMB-120 aircraft in the current Foose underlined during near the limits right now. At the end As such, there is no hard limit for fleet have, on average, 30,029 flight his remarks that the RAA Safety Directors identified a list of August, the lead aircraft had just airframe life as there are for aircraft hours and 38,061 flight cycles. The of top five safety concerns in over 52,900 flight hours and 56,700 designed under safe life criteria, lead aircraft, flying in Asia/Pacific, 2007. They include: flight cycles. “With the fleet leader according to Embraer officials. The has 49,522 flight hours and 58,268 hours and landings in the mid-50K Brasilia’s expected economic design flight cycles. In the US, SkyWest 1. Intersection Runway Op- range after 25 years, I think we service goal is 60,000 flight cycles, Airlines is the largest Brasilia erations and Runway Incur- sions have a lot of useful life left in the though, based on a two-lifetimes, operator, with 53, and Great Lakes full-scale fatigue test yielding no Airlines has six. • Congested ground movements SkyWest Airline’s Embraer Brasilia • ATC ground communications issues • Airport runway/taxiway design 2. ATC separation and other ATC issues • Altitude deviations • VFR (w/o transponder)/ IFR traffic conflicts 3. Ground Operations Safety • Ramp overcrowding • Short turnaround times 4. Attracting and Retaining Qualified Pilots and Mechanics 5. Contaminated runway operations • Winter operations – deicing procedures • Runway excursions

regional horizons November/December 2009 11 BCA_NG_RAA_Oct09.qxd 10/20/09 9:12 PM Page 1

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Top 10 Airports for Regional Airline Departures for 2009 US Domestic Only

Regional Share Rank Code City Departures of Departures 1 ORD Chicago O’Hare 199,090 55.5% 2 ATL Atlanta 198,959 44.7% 3 CLT Charlotte 132,685 59.9% 4 IAH Houston (Bush) 124,893 58.5% 5 DEN Denver 114,555 40.3% 6 PHL Philadelphia 110,061 56.4% 7 DFW Dallas/Fort Worth 107,878 37.6% 8 DTW Detroit 106,823 54.1% 9 MSP Minneapolis/St. Paul 91,163 48.3% 10 LGA New York LaGuardia 88,058 52.5%

Mainline vs. Regional – Scheduled Departures and Seats for 2008 vs 2009 US Domestic Only

Departures % of Total for % Change 2008 2009 2009 Mainline 4,669,951 4,241,295 -9.2% 48.7% Regional 4,699,109 4,458,969 -5.1% 51.3% Total 9,369,060 8,700,264 -7.1%

Seats % of Total for % Change 2008 2009 2009 Mainline 663,930,546 605,543,637 -8.8% 73.7% Regional 219,913,670 215,765,839 -1.9% 26.3% Total 883,844,216 821,309,476 -7.1%

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RAA Airline Members Airline Dispatch Managers review automation best to participate in FAA practices Aviation Rulemaking ExpressJet’s Chip Durham presented its Dispatcher Fatigue Study to the Airline Dispatch Management Forum held at TranStates St. Louis offices Committee on December 8. RAA Vice President Scott Foose moderated the day-long meeting which included round table discussions on FAA enforcement activities and automation best practices.

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Following local approval by FAA to extend the compliance time of a structural airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Southwest aircraft and the subsequent grounding of the American Airlines MD-80 fleet over a seeming minor compliance issue with a wire routing AD, the DOT recognized the gross inconsistencies between the two events. In turn, DOT sought to address the public concerns by assembling an independent review team (IRT) that would provide recommendations to the FAA on AD policy. (Their report is found at the following DOT web site: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/IRT_Report.pdf) Tel.: 954-984-0450 The FAA also assembled a compliance review team (CRT) to provide 1-800-935-0875 Fax: 954-984-0290 similar recommendations on improving AD policy. e-mail: [email protected] The FAA has now decided to implement an ARC to review the IRT website: www.thrusttech.com and CRT reports and provide industry recommendations on going for- Specializing in Repair Management Solutions for: ward with a responsive AD policy. Hydraulic Pumps • Pneumatic Valves • Fuel Boost Pumps The ARC is scheduled to expire at the end of 18 months but will Starters & Generators Ignition Exciters •• Actuators likely conclude within next year. Vice President-Technical Services Dave Lotterer will represent the RAA members on the ARC as will Barry 6701B N.W. 12th Avenue • Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 Baker, Vice President-Maintenance at Pinnacle Airlines and Mike Ban- F.A.A. OTBR527K and E.A.S.A. 145.5270 Certified Repair Station dalan, Director of Quality Control at American Eagle Airlines.

regional horizons November/December 2009 15 NEWS BRIEFS

Republic Airways pledges to preserve more than 700 local jobs SkyWest has announced a new marketing partnership with AirTran and add up to 800 full-time positions in Milwaukee. Investing Airways supporting its Milwaukee focus city. Starting in December, in capital expenditures to support maintenance operations and SkyWest will dedicate five 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200s to six desti- infrastructure, Republic aims to increase its local employment for nations between Milwaukee, including Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Akron/ flight crews, heavy aircraft maintenance and technical support as Canton, Indianapolis, Des Moines, and Omaha. Seats on well as call center reservations. The investment will make Republic these flights will be sold in conjunction with AirTran eligible to receive up to $27 million in tax credits through the end Airways flights with revenue shared on a pro-rated of 2021. In April 2010, Republic will expand its Midwest Airlines’ flight schedule with two new nonstop destinations from Milwaukee to Raleigh-Durham on April 1 and to San Francisco on April 19. basis. Fully implemented by February 2010, SkyWest will offer 18 Horizon Air is highlighting the Bombardier Q400’s lower environ- daily non-stop flights from Milwaukee to the six destinations. mental impact by sporting a “Comfortably Greener” livery on two of its 76-seaters. Using 30 to Bombardier recently celebrated another major milestone it 40 percent less fuel and pro- the CSeries aircraft program as construction is now underway ducing 30 to 40 percent less at its new, 600,000-square foot, state-of-the-art aircraft wing carbon emissions than compa- manufacturing and assembly facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland. rable jet aircraft, Horizon aims The facility’s design and layout are being optimized both for the to achieve a single-type fleet production process and to minimize environmental impact. of Q400s by the end of 2013. In August, the test fuselage barrel arrived ahead of sched- Currently, the airline operates ule at Bombardier’s St. Laurent Quebec site, from China, and 39 Q400s and 18 CRJ700 in September the Canadian aircraft manufacturer marked the regional jets. groundbreaking of the first CSeries manufacturing building in Mirabel, Quebec. The first test wing will be delivered from Belfast in 2011. REGIONAL MARKET LINKS While this new project requires Bombardier to recruit more than 500 positions in production support and engineering areas, the lack of CRJ orders has prompted a reduced production rate and additional layoffs. Starting January 2010 through the first two quarters of the next fiscal year, Bombardier’s Montreal facilities will layoff around 715 employees.

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16 regional horizons | November/December 2009 NEWS BRIEFS

Horizon Air performed a low level flyby of its Bombardier Q400 painted in Boise State At presstime, ExpressJet announced University livery just before kickoff of the November 14 Boise State vs. University of Idaho President and CEO Jim Ream game at Bronco Stadium. This is one of five game overflights scheduled for each of Hori- will depart and become American zon’s university livery aircraft, including Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington Airlines Senior Vice President-Main- State. “This is one of the most ambitious promotions we’ve ever done,” says Horizon Vice tenance & Engineering, effective President-Marketing and Communications Dan Russo. “It will generate a lot of excitement January 1. around our partnerships with these schools and strengthen Horizon’s brand as ‘Wings of the Great Northwest.’” In related news, Horizon Air will launch twice-daily direct service from Spokane to Sac- ramento and San Jose starting March 26, 2010, providing a new link between these three In related news, ExpressJet vital and growing metropolitan regions. All flights will be operated with 76-seat Bombar- will begin new United Express flying dier Q400s. on May 1, 2010 with 22 Embraer ERJ145s. United has worked with ExpressJet previously for short-term flying contracts, and Cindy Szadokier- ski-Vice President Airport Operations Planning and United Express says, “ExpressJet offered us the most com- petitive bid, enabling us to continue to operate efficiently in this difficult environment.” The new flying will replace flying previously done by other United Express partner carriers whose Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 in Boise State University livery contracts have expired.

RAA-1-2PgAd_Checking_OLT.indd 1 regional horizons November/December10/22/09 3:44 2009 PM 17 ASSOCIATE MEMBER UPDATES

Electronic Cable Specialists has entered into a data licensing Embraer, General Electric, Azul and Amyris have signed an agreement with The Boeing Company allowing the use of Boeing MOU to evaluate the technical and sustainability aspects of Amyris’ detail engineering design data to develop STCs for installation of No Compromise™ renewable jet fuel. The initiative will culminate in Electronic Flight Bags on Boeing aircraft. a demo flight by early 2012 of an Embraer E-Jet using GE Engines and belonging to Azul Linhas Aereas, a new Brazilian airline. Rolls-Royce has begun construction on a new manufacturing fa- Amyris is a next-generation jet fuel development and produc- cility in Prince George County, VA. Located on over 1,000 acres, tion company. Its renewable jet fuel is made from existing sugar it will be the largest Rolls-Royce site by area in North America cane feedstock and is positioned to bring supply security, renew- with ample space to accommodate suppliers’ and partners’ able content, price stability and significant reductions in green- co-location in the future. The engine manufacturer will initially house gas emis- invest $170 million in the site with total investment anticipated sions to the jet fuel at approximately $500 million in Virginia. pool. “Greening the Honeywell’s SmartPath Precision Landing System is the first to skies is a rather receive FAA’s System Design Approval for the US Ground-based complex subject Augmentation System (GBAS). Also referred to as the Local Area and requires broad Augmented System (LAAS), GBAS is an important component industry expertise of the future national airspace system “NextGen”. The system and commitment,” is one of several key components of FAA and industry efforts to says Frederico increase system capacity and efficiency using advanced naviga- Fleury Curado, Em- tion, communication and surveillance capabilities. braer President and CEO. “The partnership with top-level players will certainly represent an important step towards this endeavor.” CAE has sold two CAE 7000 Series ARJ21-700 Level D full-flight simulators (FFS) to COMAC Shanghai Aircraft Customer Service Co. Ltd., owned by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC). The value of the contract totals about C$35 million with the first simulator scheduled for delivery to Shanghai for training in mid-2010. The ARJ21 aircraft, the first passenger jet to be fully developed independently and indigenously produced in China, is scheduled to enter service in 2011. “The Chinese name for the ARJ21 – Xiangfeng – means ‘Soaring Phoenix,’ and we expect the ARJ21 to soar ahead of other regional jet aircraft, especially in hot and high-altitude conditions,” says Xu Qinghong, President, Shanghai Aircraft Customer Service Co., Ltd.

18 regional horizons | November/December 2009 CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

<<1 our Tuesday luncheon that “safety is on his plate” because it’s our top priority. 24-27 and keep checking www.raa.org for additional information. And also Safety was also the message we shared when we traveled across town to Senate brush up on your C&W songs since RAA will return to Nashville for our Aviation Chair Bryon Dorgan (D-ND) and subcommittee counsel to under- 2011 Convention. score our firm belief that 1500 hour/ATP requirement provisions of HR3371 I welcome the opportunity to help lead our industry through this time would shrink rather than grow the pool of qualified pilot professionals. knowing that the regional airline industry strives for safety every day in all The RAA Safety and Operations members met for two solid days discuss- aspects of its operations. Our airline members operate more than one half of ing RAA’s own Strategic Safety Initiative (SSI). Since SSI’s launch in June, all US scheduled flights, and we carry one of every four domestic passengers. RAA has begun defining a list of all safety issues to be reviewed, and at the We serve more than 600 US airports, and some 75 percent of those airports Fall Meeting we took the first steps in a ground-breaking Fatigue Study by depend on regional airlines, exclusively, for their only source of scheduled Dr. Hans Van Dongen from Washington State University (see related story air service. As an industry, each RAA member airline and all of our 60,000 on page 3). This study will help fill the “science gap” in the area of regional highly-skilled professionals remain dedicated to safety, and the vital role we operations, and most importantly, will provide a guidepost how to recognize, play in the nationwide air transportation system. reduce and manage fatigue.

RAA plans for 2010 Milwaukee Convention While safety was the primary focus of our fall meeting, we did take time to review the great plans for the 2010 Annual Convention in Milwaukee – which might even come close to being as great a venue as Salt Lake City (but then we Utahans are little biased…) Please mark your calendars for May Russell “Chip” Childs

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regional horizons November/December 2009 19 UPCOMING RAA EVENTS

Regional Airline Association 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 800 2010 Washington, DC 20036 January 20-21 2010 Airline Symposium Tel: 202/367-1170 Fax: 202/367-2170 [email protected] • www.raa.org “An Airplane is Down...The Emergency Response” McLean, VA RAA staff (Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner organized by Dombroff Gilmore Jacques President & French, all member airlines are welcome to attend) Roger Cohen February 23-25 Flight Technology Committee Meeting Vice President Miami, FL (at ARINC) Scott Foose April 27-29 World Aviation and Regional Airline Training Conference & Vice President-Technical Services Tradeshow David Lotterer Orlando, FL (at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort) Vice President-Legislative Affairs Faye Malarkey Black RAA Annual Convention May 24-27 Milwaukee, WI Director-Industry & Regulatory Affairs Liam Connolly Safety Council Meeting 24 Operations Manager Milwaukee, WI Staci Morgan Dispatch Management Meeting 24 Association Associate Milwaukee, WI Pepper Weeks Operations and Maintenance Forum 25 Convention Manager Milwaukee, WI John Rubsamen Regional Operations Council Meeting Sponsorship Manager 25 Milwaukee, WI Diana Lundie Flight Training Committee Meeting Sponsorship Assistant 26 Milwaukee, WI Susan Young Inflight Committee Meeting 27 2009-2010 board of directors Milwaukee, WI Chairman July 25-27 RAA Summer Seminars Russell “Chip” Childs, SkyWest Airlines (dates and location TBD) Vice Chairman Jim Rankin, Air Wisconsin 2011 Treasurer May 16-19 RAA Annual Convention Dan Wolf, Cape Air Nashville, TN Secretary Keith Houk, PSA Airlines Directors Peter Bowler, American Eagle Airlines Tim Komberec, Empire Airlines Jim Ream, ExpressJet Doug Voss, Great Lakes Aviation Dave Hackett, Gulfstream International Airlines Joseph Randell, Jazz Air Bryan Bedford, Republic Airways Rick Leach, Trans States Holdings

Regional Horizons is published on a bi-monthly frequency by Emerald Media in partnership with RAA. Editor Kelly Murphy Emerald Media [email protected] Co ntributing Carole Shifrin editors Al Ditter Design Jennifer Moore and Aeris Graphic Design The RAA and Regional Horizons staff wish our readers and families a safe layout [email protected] and secure Holiday Season and best wishes for 2010! Advertising Cheryl Goldsby [email protected]